Effect of carbon content on variant pairing of martensite in Fe–C alloys

The effect of carbon content on the variant pairing tendency of martensite formed in Fe–C alloys is investigated by means of electron backscattered diffraction analysis. The method used is based on experimentally determined orientation relationships between austenite and martensite. The results show that the carbon content has a strong effect on the martensite variant pairing tendency. This observed change in variant pairing tendency is discussed in relation to the well-known morphological transition from lath to plate martensite in Fe–C alloys and the formation of packets and plate groups. The results indicate that quantitative analysis of variant pairing, as demonstrated here, may facilitate martensite characterization in Fe–C alloys as well as in other alloy systems.     

Critical assessment 29: TRIP-aided bainitic ferrite steels

Transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP)-aided bainitic ferrite steels developed for automotive applications have attractive mechanical properties such as ductility, formability, toughness, fatigue strength and delayed fracture strength. These mechanical properties are principally associated with a ductile lath-structure matrix and the strain-induced transformation of the metastable-retained austenite films of 3–20 vol.%. In this paper, data on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the low-carbon TRIP-aided bainitic ferrite steels are critically assessed, as well as their deformation mechanism.     

Wind Force Coefficients for Designing Porous Canopy Roofs

Wind force coefficients for designing porous canopy roofs have been investigated based on a series of wind tunnel experiments. Gable, troughed and mono-sloped roofs were tested. The roof models were made of 0.5 mm thick perforated duralumin plates, the porosity of which was changed from 0 to about 0.4. Overall aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the roof model were measured in a turbulent boundary layer with a six-component force balance for various wind directions. The results indicate that the wind loads on canopy roofs generally decrease with an increase in porosity of the roof. Assuming that the roof is rigid and supported by the four corner columns with no walls, the axial forces induced in the columns are regarded as the most important load effect for discussing the design wind loads. Two loading patterns causing the maximum tension and compression in the columns are considered. Based on a combination of the lift and moment coefficients, the design wind force coefficients on the windward and leeward halves of the roof are presented for the two loading patterns as a function of the roof pitch and porosity. The effect of porosity is taken into account as a reduction factor of the wind loads.     

Surface Analysis of Cr2O3‐, CoO‐, and Al2O3‐Doped Iron–Phosphate Glasses at High Temperature

Surface structures of iron–phosphate glasses were examined using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Cr₂O₃, CoO, and Al₂O₃ were introduced to the glass by the replacement of a part of Fe₂O₃, and the simulated fission products are also added. The obtained glasses showed high chemical durabilities by MCC‐1 test. In situ high‐temperature and room‐temperature XPS measurements were conducted on the polished sample surfaces and also those after 1‐week chemical durability test. Unique trends were observed in XPS spectra on heating and after the chemical durability test, respectively. Nature of the glass surface of iron–phosphate glasses was explained from the point of view of surface energy, and the origin of high chemical durability and the effect of chromium ions were discussed based on the changes on surface composition and valence states of transition‐metal ions.     

Direct measurement of carbon enrichment during austenite to ferrite transformation in hypoeutectoid Fe–2Mn–C alloys

Carbon enrichment in untransformed austenite at the end of Mn partitionless growth of ferrite for Fe–2Mn–(0.05, 0.14)C (mass%) alloys isothermally transformed in the temperature range 873–998 K was measured using field-emission electron probe microanalysis to reveal its dependence on the transformation temperature, nominal carbon content and prior austenite grain size. The PLE/NPLE model gives much better predictions than the PE model for carbon enrichment in untransformed austenite at the end of partitionless growth. Carbon enrichment could be increased by reducing the prior austenite grain size. Furthermore, carbon enrichment shifted from the PLE/NPLE transition line to the T₀ line on lowering the transformation temperature. This shift is probably attributed to the solute drag effect and/or to the finite interface mobility, both of which vary with the transformation temperature.     

Electrical properties of HgCdTe epilayers doped with silver using an AgNO3 solution

We employed AgNO₃ solutions for doping Ag in liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) grown Hg_0.78Cd_0.22Te epilayers and found that the minority carrier lifetimes became longer so that the diode properties improved. After annealing LPE grown Hg(1-x)Cd(x)Te layers (x=0.22) in Hg atmosphere, the epilayers were immersed in an AgNO₃ solution at room temperature. The typical carrier concentrations of holes was 3 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³ at 77K. These values were almost the same as for the nondoped wafers. Also, its acceptor level was 3 to 4 meV. This shows that the Ag was activated. The doped crystals have lifetimes several times longer than those of the nondoped crystals. Numerical fitting showed the lifetime was limited mostly by the Auger 7 process. The Shockley-Read-Hall recombination process was not effective. To examine the Ag-doped wafer, we fabricated photodiodes using standard planar technology. The diodes have an average zero-bias resistance of several MΩ and a shunt resistance of about 1 GΩ for a 10 μm cutoff wavelength at 78K. These values are about four times higher than those of nondoped diodes. The photo current is also two times higher at the same pixel size. This shows that the quantum efficiency is increased. The extension of the lifetime contributes to the high resistance and the high quantum efficiency of the photodiode.     

Room temperature continuous-wave operation of GaInNAs/GaAs VCSELsgrown by chemical beam epitaxy with output power exceeding 1 mW

The authors present a near 1200 nm wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) the active region of which is formed by GaInNAs/GaAs quantum wells grown by chemical beam epitaxy. Room temperature continuous-wave operation has been demonstrated with a high slope efficiency of 0.23 W/A, a high output power of over 1.0 mW, and a singlemode output power of 0.34 mW. The fabricated devices with different aperture sizes show low threshold currents of 1.2-2.1 mA and a record low threshold current density of 2.6 kA/cm² in GaInNAs VCSELs     

Can food factors provide Us with the similar beneficial effects of physical exercise?

Metabolic diseases have got global health issues. Physical exercise as well as diet therapy is a potent strategy for fighting against the diseases. However, it is often difficult to continue to keep exercise regularly enough to take sufficient effect. Thus, good substitutes for the therapeutic exercise would be greatly beneficial. Recent studies have suggested that 5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) play important roles in the metabolic alterations by muscle contraction. The notion that AMPK mediates broad effects of physical exercise has been widely accepted, though it has been challenged by observations in some genetically AMPK-disrupted animals. We have demonstrated metabolome-wide significance of AMPK activation in contracting muscles. Thus, pharmacological activation of AMPK can be a promising way to obtain similar effects of the exercise. The relevance of AMPK will be introduced, and possible strategies for obtaining similar effects to the exercise from food factors will be discussed in the current review.     

A chemo-thermo-mechanically coupled analysis of ground deformation induced by gas hydrate dissociation

We present a numerical analysis of gas hydrate dissociation in hydrate-bearing sediments in the seabed ground. Behavior of multiphase materials has been described within the framework of a macroscopic continuum approach through the use of the theory of porous media. The proposed simulation method has been developed based on chemo-thermo-mechanically coupled analysis, taking into account phase changes from solids to fluids, that is, water and gas, flow of water and gas, heat transfer, and ground deformation. From the numerical results, it has been found that ground deformation is induced by generation and dissipation of water and gas, and by reduction of soil strength due to the loss of hydrates.     

Denatured-jacalin derivatives with selective recognition for O-linked glycosides (ST,T, Tn,and STn Type) on IgA1 hinge region

Immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) concentration in the plasma of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) as the cause of renal failure is higher than that in the plasma of normal controls. IgA1 with abnormal sugars is considered to deposit in the glomerular mesangium, aggravating nephritis in IgAN. Jacalin is a lectin that recognizes sugars on IgA1. However, its selective-recognition for normal-type (ST type, NeuAc-α(2,3)-Gal-β(1,3)-GalNAc) and abnormal-type (T type, Gal-β(1,3)-GalNAc; Tn type, GalNAc; STn type, NeuAc-α(2,6)-GalNAc) sugars α-O-linked to serine/threonine in IgA1 is weak. Therefore, jacalin cannot be used for recognizing specific sugar types on IgA1. We attempted to develop a new recognition method for specific sugar types on IgA1 by utilizing the multirecognition capability of jacalin. Its binding abilities were regulated by heat denaturation with suitable template sugar (galactose or N-acetylgalactosamine). Further, we successfully prepared denatured-jacalin derivatives, which recognized ST-/T-type sugars on IgA1, by sugar-immobilized affinity chromatography. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of denatured-jacalin derivatives, showed the ratios of abnormal sugars on IgA1 in the plasma of IgAN patients and normal controls to be approximately 60% and 20%, respectively. The results proved that profiling of sugar types in IgAN can successfully be performed by solely using jacalin derivatives.